I’m powerful and have what I need to make my dreams real

By Andrea Schroeder / January 15, 2024 / daily practice, Journal Prompts, journaling, meditation

(Dream Book members: get your next journaling kit, with alchemy meditations here)

This is the mantra I got in this week’s Dream Book journaling kit and I am NOT feeling it.

I woke up groggy, foggy, heavy and sad. Having a TOTAL MONDAY.

I went back to sleep and my poor cat Bear had to wake me at 7:17 when his breakfast was 17 minutes late.

I fed him and kind of moped around. VERY VERY SLOWLY got dressed, thought about my day, and thought… I think I should just call in sick today. Get into sweatpants. Watch Netflix.

It was a real battle this morning to get anywhere near feeling powerful enough to get close to my dreams.

This is just how it is some days.

I didn’t battle it by forcing myself to do anything I didn’t want to, or pretending to feel differently than I felt.

I sat in my bed and cried. I didn’t understand why today felt so hard, I just offered myself some comfort and feeling your feelings is comforting.

Then I meditated.

And I thought about what I had planned for the day: A sunrise walk to the coffee shop - I had missed sunrise at this point but I could still walk in the sunshine. I had a list of things I wanted to do there, plus coffee! And a treat! And then a 30 minute walk back home, and the way doing 60 minutes of walking in the morning makes the rest of the day feel better.

Then I took out the garbage. Like a trial run. And outside felt GOOD. So I came back in, bundled up, and went to the coffee shop where I am writing this.

I am powerful and have what I need to make my dreams real.

I am at my MOST powerful when I’m accepting myself where I am.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your thoughts or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson or get a weekly journaling + alchemy kit.

Go the Library of Creative Dream Alchemy to find a practice that fits for where you are or use the Dream Lab if you're not sure where to start.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls. Make a plan to join us live or catch a replay.

I’m powerful and have what I need to make my dreams real Read More »

Remember the magic + feeling worthy of + receptive to my dreams [Weekly Dream Status Report]

By Andrea Schroeder / January 12, 2024 / Manifest Your Dream Life

Note: This is a post about my daily practice with my Creative Dreams - I often link to the tools, courses and processes I use which are available to Dream Book members. If you're not a member, find out more + join us here.

On Fridays I do my Dream Status Report which is a series of prompts I use every week to help me have more clarity, momentum and groundedness on my path. You can do them with me (Dream Book members: come post yours in the forum!)!

Click here for the Dream Status Report journal prompts

I know doing the same prompts every week can be annoying sometimes but this is magically clarifying. The repetition helps you go deeper into the process and makes it easier to LEARN from your process as you go, and the apply those learnings right away. This weekly practices helps me learn so much more, even when I'm just stumbling around trying to find my next steps.

Here are the prompts:

PART ONE: (sometimes these can stay the same for months at time, sometimes they change often)

My dream is:

I want it because:

When I have it I will feel:

PART TWO:

Invite your dream in (using the Dream Lab practice) to help you with the rest of the prompts.

PART THREE:

My goal/wish/intention for this New Moon is:

Last week’s focus was:

What happened in the last week?

What am I learning/How do I feel about this?

What do I need now?

What does my dream need now?

Taking all of this into account, my focus for the next week is:

My Dream Status Report for this week:

PART ONE:

My dream is: This one doesn't want to be shared, but I do have a very specific thing I am working on now.

I want it because: I am excited about it! And it feels supportive of all the other things I want - like having this puts me in a position for all sorts of new dreams.

When I have it I will feel: Free - and I feel free now but it feels like I would feel more free somehow. And more secure/safe.

PART TWO:

Invite the soul of your dream in (using the Dream Lab practice) to help you with the rest of the prompts.

My dream shows up as a typewriter with wings. It's dark shiny blue.

Oh LOL. This week my laptop died suddenly, and I got a new one. I've used Apple computers for almost 30 years and I've always liked them, until my old one. That one was an absolute lemon and I didn't like using it. I was going to replace it this year, but it just happened more suddenly than I thought it would. And I am SO HAPPY with the new one, which is midnight blue, and an absolute joy to use.

It feels like - feeling FREE and SUPPORTED to express myself. Having my words fly out to the people they are for. And the whole thing feeling magical.

I mean YES this is what I want. It feels heartwarming to meet the soul of my dream in this way.

I ask it to help me with the rest of the prompts and it's happy to help.

PART THREE:

Last week’s focus was: Settling into the new year.

What happened in the last week?

The new computer feels HUGE.

I never liked the old one, for many reasons but especially the keyboard just felt wrong. This new keyboard feels SO GOOD to type on.

When I went to pick it up, on the way back in I checked the mail and this moth ring (in the photo) had arrived, which I had been waiting for for almost 6 weeks!

When I took off my wedding ring it felt so strange. I am not a jewelry person, but I loved that ring and was used to wearing it so it's been weird to not be wearing it. So I decided to look for a new ring - not a fancy one but something that represents this new phase of my life. I searched "witch ring" and found this on etsy. (I don't like the feel of the adjustable band on the back, but I plan to crochet over it with very thin cord.)

I love the moth with the moon on my finger and seeing my hand on the dark blue keyboard has witchy vibes that I LOVE. I feel like THIS IS THE NEW ME. This is who I am stepping into in this new phase of my life.

So this week, I stepped into it. Last week and this week, I have been taking consistent steps around getting my work planned/organized in ways that support me in doing what I want to do - HOW I want to do it. I am so happy with how this is going.

And winter finally arrived! Like, winter weather and a lot of snow. This FEELS RIGHT. I have been wanting that winter feeling, and our winter was so mild until now. Of course I was enjoying long walks in the not-so-cold (comparatively) but something about winter really being here feels like a relief. Time to WINTER. Drop leaves, sink inward.

AND I've been doing a mini practice - feeling worthy of and receptive to my dream - for 5 minutes every morning before I get out of bed. This is from what we did in the worthiness and receptivity calls, just a quick version of getting into that feeling and it really makes the day so much better!

What am I learning/How do I feel about this?

I keep coming back to the magic of taking whatever tiny little step you can. And to keep taking them. And how you do eventually get to places where it all comes together.

I feel... every feeling, lol!

What do I need now?

I'm doing all of the things to support my mental health and creative flow and make progress on my goals. I need to keep taking the little steps.

What does my dream need now?

The typewriter with wings GLOWS. It wants me to remember the magic.

Taking all of this into account, my focus for the next week is:

Remember the magic. Keep doing the worthiness + receptivity daily practice.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your Dream Status Report or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls.

Remember the magic + feeling worthy of + receptive to my dreams [Weekly Dream Status Report] Read More »

How do I love myself and love my future enough to stay on track with my goals?

By Andrea Schroeder / January 11, 2024 / healing, journaling

I started using the weekly journaling kits for STRUCTURE but it’s also giving me some vibes (each week has a different quality and mantra) and some different ways to consider how I am working with my dreams (each week has a journaling prompt about that).

I forgot how MAGIC these kits are when you spend time with them every week because they are a way of making space for insights to emerge.

So this is the insight I had this week:

I have struggled with staying on track with certain goals because I am coming at them from a place of DETERMINATION.

What if I came at it from LOVE?

When I am fueled by determination, I can show up for a while but it gets so tiring. And then it gets boring. And then I wonder… do I REALLY even want this? And I definitely do want it, but I don’t like the process and eventually I stop showing up.

And “‘determination” really is plugged into self-improvement 🤮 and all the says dominant culture encourages us to accomplish external things in order to be proven worthy, instead of validating that fact that each of us is inherently worthy.

This is a part of a bigger shift I am in.

Brought on by so many things.. my age, peri-menopause, the way the world is changing as late-stage capitalism starts to fail, things I am learning about my self after 30 years of working on self discovery… I am in-plugging from so many “learned” ways of being to embrace my most authentic ways of being.

This is what I’ve been doing for 30 years already!!! So I’ve made loads of progress and it can feel so frustrating to see the places where I have work to do.

AND some of the places where I am still plugged in are starting to feel SO FUCKING UNCOMFORTABLE and it feels URGENT that I do something about it.

So. This clue - being fueled by love instead of determination - feels so important.

And it’s funny because people in Dream Book are always telling me how much they appreciate my approach which is SO MUCH driven by love and soul, especially compared to other approaches out there.

But there is a next level and it’s time to look for it.

How do I LOVE MYSELF and LOVE MY FUTURE enough to stay on track with these goals?

Which is not a question to answer right away. It‘s a question to sit with over time. To be with all of my different responses and reactions to it.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your thoughts or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson or get a weekly journaling + alchemy kit.

Go the Library of Creative Dream Alchemy to find a practice that fits for where you are or use the Dream Lab if you're not sure where to start.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls. Make a plan to join us live or catch a replay.

How do I love myself and love my future enough to stay on track with my goals? Read More »

The Resistance Project: my resistance turns into a witch + wise woman

By Andrea Schroeder / January 10, 2024 / healing, journaling, resistance project

OK Hi Resistance.

This feels weird. Usually you are like, SUPER SUPER VERY PRESENT and I try to pretend you’re not for a while, and we go in circles, and then finally I throw up my hands and say “Ok fine let’s meet! Hello resistance!”

But here I am. Willingly coming to you even though you’re not really coming to me today.

Resistance shows up as a witch. A wise older woman.

“Oh this is nice. I’ll put the kettle on for tea.”

She rummages around in the freezer to pull some cookies out then turns around and looks at me, pointedly.

And I know what she’s thinking.

I became that kind of person - the kind who can rummage around for home made cookies in her freezer. The kind of person who cooks and bakes from scratch, healthy and yummy things, and knows how to take care of… herself. Suddenly I see, all the ways I tried to take care of my husband and step-children, these are ways I ultimately learned to take care of ME.

OK but I am not here to talk about my divorce.

She raises an eyebrow and again I can read her mind.

It’s all connected.

I started the resistance project because I wanted more creative flow. Not to go BACK to were I was before the pandemic and peri-menopause. But to move FORWARD in my most powerful and aligned way. There is so much I want to do and create and I felt called to get a better handle on my resistance.

But, sitting here in this witch’s kitchen having a cup of tea and a cookie, I see that it’s all connected.

“This divorce is the most powerful thing you have right now” she says.

And I get it. I have been wanting to move THROUGH it rather than find out how deep I can go INTO it.

And, what the resistance witch is saying is - if I try to compartmentalize different parts of my life I can never be in my power. And creative flow is, partly, about power.

And resistance is, partly, about resisting my power.

And a divorce, like other unwelcome and difficult events, blows things up and gives you this magical opportunity to put them together in a whole new way. A way that makes more space for your power.

And, I wish it could go without saying but I think it always needs to be said, this isn’t about bypassing the hard. It’s more about being SO present with ALL of the hard parts that get triggered that healing, growth and miracles become inevitable.

I ask for another cookie.

We’re still right at the start of this resistance project, and resistance has already transformed from a vague annoying heavy cloud of darkness into a wise witch teacher and healer.

This is so good.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your thoughts or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson or get a weekly journaling + alchemy kit.

Go the Library of Creative Dream Alchemy to find a practice that fits for where you are or use the Dream Lab if you're not sure where to start.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls. Make a plan to join us live or catch a replay.

The Resistance Project: my resistance turns into a witch + wise woman Read More »

I Give Myself What I Need To Grow

By Andrea Schroeder / January 9, 2024 / daily practice, Journal Prompts, journaling, meditation

This year I am re-starting the Dream Book weekly journaling + alchemy kits.

(Dream Book members: check out the weekly kits here. If you're not a member: find out more + join us here or check out the Printable Planning + Journaling Kit which is similar)

I meant to start last week, at the start of the year. So I cut this out last week. I pasted it into my journal, but then I didn't come back to it because I have been using a different journal, lol!

So here I am, once again, meaning to start this week.

This is just where I am! No judgement.

And it doesn't matter how many weeks it takes me to actually get into this!

The magic is in showing up and taking whatever little steps you see to take. The magic is in showing up again and again and again until it sticks.

There have been times when I've been in a good, nourishing routine using these kits every week. And I can get back into that routine.

And I HAVE been thinking about the mantra: I give myself what I need to grow.

I've been feeling into it.

The kits come with meditations + instructions for using them. The meditation for the mantras is for EXPLORING the mantra, how it feels for you, and all the different ways you react to it, to see what it can show you.

The point is NOT to force yourself to believe it, the way a lot of new age affirmations are used.

So I've been EXPLORING this. Noticing where I am, and am not, giving myself what I need to grow.

And that's been really cool!

I am seeing all sorts of ways to nurture my goals. This year I have some business goals I am focusing on, but also LOADS of creative goals that are not work related and self care/adventure goals.

Of course I am also exploring resistance as a year-long project and the big thing I have learned so far that I being organized/ready to do a thing makes me SO MUCH more likely to do the thing, when I have time for it.

Like - I've been wanting to work on the mural in my workspace for a while. I'd be so much more likely to actually do it in little moments if the paints + tools were already out + set up. (They are currently in a box in the bottom of my closet, with other things in the way, so it feels annoying to even get started)

Also - the mood is more likely to strike if I am ALREADY prepared. That's my big learning/remembering from week 1 of the year-long project of exploring my resistance.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your thoughts or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson or get a weekly journaling + alchemy kit.

Go the Library of Creative Dream Alchemy to find a practice that fits for where you are or use the Dream Lab if you're not sure where to start.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls. Make a plan to join us live or catch a replay.

I Give Myself What I Need To Grow Read More »

Tomorrow: January New Moon Call

By Andrea Schroeder / January 8, 2024 / daily practice, Journal Prompts, journaling, meditation

I am so looking forward to this!

We start the call with a short meditation, and then some journaling prompts for reflecting on the last month. Looking for lessons to be learned, re-frames to make, things we want to celebrate, things we want to let go of. Then we look at what we WANT now and what we NEED now and set intentions for the coming month.

Then we take those intentions back into the meditation and do an alchemy process for becoming that version of ourselves who has done the thing, and look back at ourselves as we are today, and offer next-level advice to ourselves.

And then we have THE BEST conversations as we share our intentions, our celebrations, our struggles, the things we're learning on the path - all of it.

My goal is that at the end of the call you have a good sense of what you want to focus on for the next month, and what kinds of practices will help you be able to do that - how to best set yourself up for success.

If you can't make it live you can leave your thoughts + questions in the (private!) comments section.

I’m starting with a blank slate.

I did my New Moon journaling in my December planner, and then I got rid of that planner for the new year, lol!

I mean, I can find it still in my piles and piles of old journals and planners, but it’s not where I am right now and I’ve decided to just start fresh.

Which is great and all but…

Every month we talk about the magic of reflecting back on last month’s intention because THIS IS HOW YOU HOLD THE THREADS.

If you’re always focused on setting new intentions, and never look back at how you’re holding the intentions you’ve already set… it’s just really hard to move forward with any consistency.

SETTING the intention is absolutely the easiest part.

HOLDING the intention is harder.

Looking back and being honest with yourself about how you’re doing this work - hardest.

So that’s why we do it TOGETHER. Even the people who use the replays share the it’s just easier to do this hard part with the video.

So I’m going against my own rules this month. And that’s ok too!

This last fall was one of the hardest seasons of my life and I’m really proud of how I’ve handled everything. I wrote on my journal this morning: I love the ways I’m moving on. Centering self care, creativity and healing.

AND ALSO it feels like a good time to just throw away everything I was working with and see where I’m at now.

I’m looking forward to seeing what happens on the call tomorrow. No matter where I’m at, this monthly gathering is always magic.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your thoughts or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson or get a weekly journaling + alchemy kit.

Go the Library of Creative Dream Alchemy to find a practice that fits for where you are or use the Dream Lab if you're not sure where to start.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls. Make a plan to join us live or catch a replay.

Tomorrow: January New Moon Call Read More »

Coming Back To The Weekly Dream Status Reports

By Andrea Schroeder / January 5, 2024 / Manifest Your Dream Life

Here are the prompts:

PART ONE: (sometimes these can stay the same for months at time, sometimes they change often)

My dream is:

I want it because:

When I have it I will feel:

PART TWO:

Invite your dream in (using the Dream Lab practice) to help you with the rest of the prompts.

PART THREE:

My goal/wish/intention for this New Moon is:

Last week’s focus was:

What happened in the last week?

What am I learning/How do I feel about this?

What do I need now?

What does my dream need now?

Taking all of this into account, my focus for the next week is:

My Dream Status Report for this week:

PART ONE:

My dream is: This one doesn't want to be shared

I want it because: It feels supportive of all the other things I want.

When I have it I will feel: Free - and I feel free now but it feels like I would feel more free somehow.

PART TWO:

Invite your dream in (using the Dream Lab practice) to help you with the rest of the prompts.

My dream is a hard with wings, but it's so far away.

I'm kind of wishing for it to come closer, wondering what I need to do to connect with it, then suddenly I get a sense that it's really sharp and could hurt me. Is it staying away to protect me? Why would it hurt me?

I sit with this a while and it starts to feel like the sharpness isn't about the dream, it's just my own fear.

I think about the parts of me that are afraid of getting what I want. I consider the things they are afraid of.

Then the dream (heart with wings) comes closer and I can touch it and it is soft and cozy. Nothing to be afraid of.

And the dream shows me all the ways it already IS here. This feels really hard to describe, but it's like my dream was showing me the things I am doing that are helping me BE in that energy and it feels really good and reassuring.

PART THREE:

Last week’s focus was: Getting "back into it" after the holidays

What happened in the last week?

I started a new year-long project: exploring my resistance! I am doing this mostly on my own, but will share updates periodically. I started a "wiki" in Notion to store my notes I write about it, so I can tag things in different ways ("little steps along the way" "important things I learn" "journal prompts to explore", etc). I don't know how to use the Wiki template I have in Notion, so a bunch of parts of it don't quite work, lol! BUT I feel like I will figure it out in time OR look at a tutorial at some point. Until then I can just add notes to it and I love that everything is stored in one place. I am also journaling about it in my various journals, but wen something feels "noteworthy" I add it to Notion.

(This is the same way the Table of Contents works in Dream Book! And I could have added this resistance project to the Table of Contents, but I wanted to do it digitally)

There is a "new vibe" I am going for with my daily posts this year and I had hoped to sort it all out in December and be DOING IT starting January 1 and I am not there. But I am showing up every day and working on it!

I do struggle getting back into routine after being out of routine, and as much as I tried to not have the holidays impact my routines they definitely did. So probably next week I'll REALLY be back into routines.

What am I learning/How do I feel about this?

The big thing I realized from my resistance project is that I don't want to GO BACK to where I was in 2019, even though that's the best model I have of how I am when I'm really IN my routines and being creatively productive.

I want to figure out what GOING FORWARD even means, and then do that. This feels so exciting!

AND dovetailing with: settling into single life, being over the worst (I hope!!) of the grieving/upset of the breakup, appreciating the freedom and calm in my life and the new possibilities ahead of me. Another area where I am consciously GOING FORWARD and instead of looking backward.

What do I need now?

I set big goals for myself to GO FORWARD towards this year. And I am working on building the habits, structures and routines that will help me get there.

STRUCTURE is a big one, the ways I structured things in my work pre-pandemic are not how I am doing it now. This last week I feel I made some big progress and I need to stay with this. I need TONS of structure (that feels supportive, not oppressive)

What does my dream need now?

It really wants me to see the places where I am afraid of it, to remember that it's actually soft and cuddly and doesn't want to hurt me.

Taking all of this into account, my focus for the next week is:

Wow I feel so much resistance to picking something. This heaviness in my chest and sense of annoyance coming over me.

I just sit with it and eventually think: well, I am still settling in. That's my focus. And that feels good.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your Dream Status Report or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls.

Coming Back To The Weekly Dream Status Reports Read More »

You are worthy

By Andrea Schroeder / January 4, 2024 / healing

YOU ARE WORTHY OF YOUR BIGGEST DREAMS.

We all have a ceiling on what we think is actually possible for us and that ceiling isn't about reality, it's about our own self concept, which is completely malleable.

Though I don't believe we should be constantly pushing on that ceiling in the name of "dreaming bigger".

It's that we have a mental concept of "right size" "too small" and "too big" and sometimes our dreams push up against that, and so we try to shrink our dreams into what feels do-able.

But your dream is your soul speaking to you.

So, instead of trying to shove it into a smaller container that fits with your current sense of what is possible for you, how about you listen to what it's actually saying?

You are worthy of your BIGGEST dreams.

How about giving yourself space to consider... what do you REALLY want?

Yes, you live in a world that is hostile to dreams. Yes, compromises may need to be made. Yes, the world will judge and belittle your dreams and ask you who are you to think you can do this?

AND your dream is your soul calling you towards your true self. There is magic and power in this.

And there is a big difference between going after your dream and landing on a compromise, and making compromises about what you will ever allow yourself to dream about 👈👈👈

Your dream is here to heal and grow you. But it can only work it's magic if you accept it.

YOU ARE WORTHY OF YOUR WEIRDEST DREAMS

The call to conform is so powerful and invisible. We don't even notice all the ways we censor and distort ourselves in order to fit in.

All the ways your heart's desires stray from the mainstream point to your unique power and magic.

You're not a cookie cutter you're a living breathing mystery.

Everywhere you try to fit in you cut yourself off from your own magic

YOU ARE WORTHY OF YOUR WILDEST DREAMS

FEELING WORTHY of your dreams is magic. It's healing.

CLAIMING YOUR DREAMS is saying: This is the world I want to help create. This is what I believe in. This is what is important to me. THIS is who I am.

Though it's SO EASY to feel not good enough because dreams are so VULNERABLE.

FEELING WORTHY of your dreams isn't something you naturally have, or don't have.

It's a thing to cultivate. 👈👈👈

In all my years of doing this work, I have never worked with anyone who ALWAYS felt worthy of their dreams.

Of course it's possible that those people exist but just don't hire people like me. But it's more likely that we ALL struggle with this...

But I don't think it's human nature to doubt our dreams, I think it's a consequence of the colonialist capitalist culture we live in.

And guess what? ARTISTS AND DREAMERS HAVE THE ABILITY TO IMPACT AND CHANGE CULTURE.

But to do this we have to keep doing the work of freeing ourselves of the ways our culture negatively impacts us.

We have to DO THE WORK to cultivate a sense of worthiness.

Your dreams chose you.

You are already worthy.

It's up to you if you're going to cultivate worthiness as a FEELING and STATE OF BEING.

This was a message I received from my dream last year.

In response, I create two alchemy classes for Dream Book members:

FEELING WORTHY of your dreams

BEING OPEN + RECEPTIVE to your dreams

And I know a lot of you did this work with me then, I want to encourage you to keep doing it. (And if you didn't - join Dream Book now and do it!!!!)

FEELING WORTHY OF MY DREAMS is a daily practice.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your thoughts or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson or get a weekly journaling + alchemy kit.

Go the Library of Creative Dream Alchemy to find a practice that fits for where you are or use the Dream Lab if you're not sure where to start.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls. Make a plan to join us live or catch a replay.

You are worthy Read More »

I am doing the daily posts a little differently this year

By Andrea Schroeder / January 3, 2024 / daily practice, journaling

Or, I WANT TO, but I am not quite there and not quite sure how to get there.

This is what creative dreaming is!

And today I’m leaning into one of the Principles of Creative Dream Alchemy (Dream Book members, read them all here):

You don’t have to feel ready.

Which is fine in theory but, right now, the fact that I DON’T feel ready feels like anxiety.

My chest is tight. I want to run away. My shoulders get tense when I start to look at what I need to do.

So, NOT feeling ready is definitely a problem.

And “You don’t have to feel ready” is just taunting me. Because the fact that I DON’T feel ready is causing so much anxiety I can’t really “just do it”.

Hands on heart.

Five deep breaths. Inviting “You don’t have to feel ready” into my body as a balm. Not to dissolve or cancel out the anxiety of not feeling ready, just to hang out with it.

The anxiety wants to show me how it wanted to do things, and since it can’t do that, all hope is lost. It needs me to give up so it can stop feeling anxious.

You don’t have to feel ready says… Oh that is a beautiful plan! I love it. You’re so smart for coming up with it! I’d love to keep that as what we’re aiming for.

Anxiety is confused…

Anxiety sees it as “all or noting” and since we don’t have everything in place it really believes that all is lost.

You don’t have to feel ready says… So if this is what we are aiming for, and we didn’t get there by January 1, how about we just do what we can each day to get there?

Anxiety doesn’t even know what that would look like.

You don’t have to feel ready says… Well we know how to write a daily post to share our practice each day since we have done this for how many years? And we know what we wanted to get ready for the new daily posts.

It’s just that stepping from one way to the new way, IN ONE STEP, seems like a bit much.

Anxiety’s head explodes.

Oh, of course, this is a multiple step thing and I thought if I couldn’t do it in one step, then all hope was lost.

But it’s so simple. Take as many steps as you need.

When you really sit with you don’t have to feel ready it always ends up that there IS something you ARE ready for, it’s just smaller than the thing you’re looking at.

Big dreams happen with the teeny tiniest steps.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your thoughts or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson or get a weekly journaling + alchemy kit.

Go the Library of Creative Dream Alchemy to find a practice that fits for where you are or use the Dream Lab if you're not sure where to start.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls. Make a plan to join us live or catch a replay.

I am doing the daily posts a little differently this year Read More »

I am starting a year-long creative project: exploring my resistance

By Andrea Schroeder / January 2, 2024 / daily practice, journaling

One thing that happens whenever you start to take a dream more seriously is that all of the obstacles are suddenly IN YOUR FACE.

And it’s really alarming! Because it took A LOT of work to gear yourself up to be all “OK I AM DOING THIS!!!” ... and then a few days later you’re flat on the ground, knocked over by all the obstacles.

This isn’t the universe conspiring against you, and it’s not a sign that now isn’t the time.

It FEELS LIKE once you step onto the path the obstacles are suddenly in your face but actually YOU are in THEIR face. You stepped into their territory when you made that commitment.

As a coach, I’ve noticed that this happens with most people most times they commit to something.

But I didn’t consciously decide to turn that pattern on it’s head this year.

I wanted a year-long creative project, something that felt inspiring and interesting. Not necessarily another work project, and not necessarily something I would ever even share anywhere. But something creative that would grow me in the direction I want to be growing in.

Over the holidays, I spent time every day thinking about it, writing about it, making art about it, making lists of potential project ideas. And then this idea came in and it just felt right:

To meet with, explore, write about and make art with my resistance to doing all of the things I want to be doing.

Since I got the idea, the more I think about it the better it feels.

Resistance has always been there but it’s been a much bigger problem for me since the start of the pandemic, and I think there are a lot of other things hiding in the resistance.

I feel excited to explore it.

BUT THEN I thought about this thing where you set an intention to do a thing and then all of the resistance and obstacles come up and I wonder…

Maybe committing to a year of being with my resistance will be a shortcut to creative flow?

But even if it’s not exactly a short-cut, I am sure I will learn a lot about my creative flow and what nurtures it in this process.

Pre-pandemic I knew A LOT about how to nurture my creative flow. I had spent years experimenting and noticing. But I don’t feel like that same person anymore.

Part of that is age. 45 and 50 (I turn 50 this year!) are really different, for me anyway.

But part of it is my changed perspective of the world. My changed relationship with capitalism and productivity.

I feel more like myself than I ever have before and myself doesn’t care about meeting capitalist goals. EVEN THOUGH of course myself wants to keep her condo and have food to eat, and buy nice fabrics and art supplies - even in this economy.

And some of the drive I had before the pandemic wasn’t coming from a place I want to be driven from now.

So - this is the first thing I am learning about resistance and creative flow. I don’t want to “go back” to where I was 5 years ago when I found it so easy to get so much more done.

I want to go somewhere new.

I made the year-long tracker (Dream Book members, you can download this in the calendars + trackers page of the Dream Plan Kit, here.) and I’ll fill in the circle for every day that I work on this. I am not committing to EVERY DAY or anything. Just some kind of consistency over the year.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your thoughts or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson or get a weekly journaling + alchemy kit.

Go the Library of Creative Dream Alchemy to find a practice that fits for where you are or use the Dream Lab if you're not sure where to start.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls. Make a plan to join us live or catch a replay.

I am starting a year-long creative project: exploring my resistance Read More »

Today I am celebrating my 13th anniversary with the Creative Dream Incubator.

By Andrea Schroeder / January 1, 2024 / creative entrepreneur

My biggest dream was always to be creatively self employed in a way that felt TRUE, in alignment with my values and my soul. The Creative Dream Incubator has been that dream come true for the last thirteen years and I’m grateful for it every day.

I’ve been reflecting on the last 13 years and a lot of my reflections become rants about how the industry has changed.

But actually it’s me that’s changed.

Our dreams are sacred. They come from the part of us who wants to help us heal and grow.

So, following your dreams will heal you and grow you. Which will change you.

And I have changed.

It's fascinating to me how we always think we know how we'll change as we heal and grow - but then we surprise ourselves. So I am surprising myself.

I keep writing, deleting and re-writing this post.

There are so many different things I could say about this and I have no clue which of those things I want to say.

I think back to myself 13 years ago making this choice and feel so much gratitude for my younger self. All of her determination, courage and hard work have made my life so much better. I do cry thinking about it.

✨Thirteen years in, I believe this more than ever: Our dreams are our most sacred selves showing us the way✨

There is a mystery to creative dreaming. And as I grow with this work, I become more open to that mystery.

And I am thrilled to keep doing this work this year.

If you're not in Dream Book - join us here.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your thoughts or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson.

Go the Library of Creative Dream Alchemy to find a practice that fits for where you are or use the Dream Lab if you're not sure where to start.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls. Make a plan to join us live or catch a replay.

Today I am celebrating my 13th anniversary with the Creative Dream Incubator. Read More »

Day 31: Goodbye 2023 Hello 2024 31 days of meditation + journaling

By Andrea Schroeder / December 31, 2023 / Journal Prompts, meditation

Goodbye 2023 Hello 2024 31 Days of Meditation + Journaling

Listen to me lead you through the meditation on Instagram or Facebook (I am sharing the videos there every day). Get the printable guided journal with all the prompts here.

Dream Book members get the Goodbye 2023 Releasing Ceremony and the Hello 2024 Dream Blessing Ceremony. If you're not a member: find out more + join us here. If you are member: get the call details here.

60 second meditation:

Hands on heart, take a deep breath and send yourself love. Hold here and then exhale slowly, imagine sinking deeper into your heart.

Keep your breathing nice and deep and slow, stay steady in your heart.

Thinking about HOW you’re going to approach your goals and dreams can still up fears and doubts. This is totally natural. Give yourself space to have your feelings without letting them take over and sabotage your dreams and goals.

Today’s prompt:

Your ideas for how to do this:

Brainstorm and explore your ideas!

You never have to already know how to do a thing before you do it.

Almost no one knows how to do the thing before they do it! I've been working with people and their dreams for a long time, I've helped a lot of people accomplish a lot of things - NONE OF THEM started out already knowing HOW. You learn by doing. You can take little steps and learn as you go. And grow as you go!

And of course if you want support for taking those steps - join the Dream Book community!

We’ll do monthly coaching and intention setting calls all year to help you figure out your next steps and show up for your dreams consistently all year long. With tons of practices and forms of support for being able to make that happen.

You deserve your dreams.

Your dreams are your soul calling you towards your truth. This is what you are here to do. Your dreams show you how to be your authentic self. As opposed to being whoever and whatever the world tells you to be.

And if we are ever going to change the world, and it's becoming more and more urgent that we do, we have to start by BEING who we really ARE. And our dreams are here to help us to that.

So I would love to do this work with you in the new year, in Dream Book.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your thoughts or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson.

Go the Library of Creative Dream Alchemy to find a practice that fits for where you are or use the Dream Lab if you're not sure where to start.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls. Make a plan to join us live or catch a replay.

Day 31: Goodbye 2023 Hello 2024 31 days of meditation + journaling Read More »

Day 30: Goodbye 2023 Hello 2024 31 days of meditation + journaling

By Andrea Schroeder / December 30, 2023 / Journal Prompts, meditation

Goodbye 2023 Hello 2024 31 Days of Meditation + Journaling

Listen to me lead you through the meditation on Instagram or Facebook (I am sharing the videos there every day). Get the printable guided journal with all the prompts here.

60 second meditation:

Hands on heart, take a deep breath and send yourself love. Hold here and then exhale slowly, imagine sinking deeper into your heart.

Keep your breathing nice and deep and slow, stay steady in your heart.

Thinking about HOW you’re going to approach your goals and dreams can still up fears and doubts. Give yourself space to have your feelings without letting them take over and sabotage your dreams and goals.

Today’s prompt:

Do you already know how to do what you want to do, or is this something you need to learn more about?

Get the printable version of the journal with all of the prompts right here.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your thoughts or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson.

Go the Library of Creative Dream Alchemy to find a practice that fits for where you are or use the Dream Lab if you're not sure where to start.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls. Make a plan to join us live or catch a replay.

Day 30: Goodbye 2023 Hello 2024 31 days of meditation + journaling Read More »

Day 29: Goodbye 2023 Hello 2024 31 days of meditation + journaling

By Andrea Schroeder / December 29, 2023 / Journal Prompts, meditation

Goodbye 2023 Hello 2024 31 Days of Meditation + Journaling

Listen to me lead you through the meditation on Instagram or Facebook (I am sharing the videos there every day). Get the printable guided journal with all the prompts here.

60 second meditation:

Eyes closed, take a deep breath and exhale slowly.

Keep your breathing nice and deep and slow and once again imagine yourself one year from now at the end of 2024. This is the version of you who has already done all the things you want to do this year.

Try to connect with this part of you to answer today’s prompt:

Does you at the end of 2024 have any advice or messages for you?

Get the printable version of the journal with all of the prompts right here.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your thoughts or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson.

Go the Library of Creative Dream Alchemy to find a practice that fits for where you are or use the Dream Lab if you're not sure where to start.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls. Make a plan to join us live or catch a replay.

Day 29: Goodbye 2023 Hello 2024 31 days of meditation + journaling Read More »

Day 28: Goodbye 2023 Hello 2024 31 days of meditation + journaling

By Andrea Schroeder / December 28, 2023 / Journal Prompts, meditation

Goodbye 2023 Hello 2024 31 Days of Meditation + Journaling

Listen to me lead you through the meditation on Instagram or Facebook (I am sharing the videos there every day). Get the printable guided journal with all the prompts here.

60 second meditation:

Eyes closed, take a deep breath and exhale slowly.

Keep your breathing nice and deep and slow and imagine yourself one year from now at the end of 2024. This is the version of you who has already done all the things you want to do this year.

Today’s prompt:

How is you at the end of 2024 different from who you are today? What new strengths + gifts will you have at the end of 2024?

Get the printable version of the journal with all of the prompts right here.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your thoughts or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson.

Go the Library of Creative Dream Alchemy to find a practice that fits for where you are or use the Dream Lab if you're not sure where to start.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls. Make a plan to join us live or catch a replay.

Day 28: Goodbye 2023 Hello 2024 31 days of meditation + journaling Read More »